Category Archives: 1930’s

Nana

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Nana

NANA
She was built by Chas Bailey & Son Ltd in 1934 . She was a 35 footer with a 110hp Redwing Big Chief. She had a side exhaust well above the waterline, on the starboard side, with no cowl over it.

Ken Ricketts has known this boat since 1946, when she was moored in Matiatia & belonged to Mr Fred Allison (the original owner), who owned the Devonport Steam Ferry Ltd & lived at Matiatia, Waiheke Island. Alison got Bailey to build his boats because of the ferry connection. Ken only very recently acquire this photo, ex Harold Kidd. Ken was absolutely thrilled to have it, as he always was fascinated by her. Her hull was painted royal blue with varnished & white combings, — unusual for that time, — & she was always immaculate. used to sit a little high in the water at the tuck waterline, with the boat not sitting in the water until a little below the round of the chine line, but nevertheless, lovely, with the name in gold leaf arched in the middle of the tuck. Not used very much. Ken never actually saw her off the moorings, on the many weekends, he anchored there on his dad’s boat, the JULIANA circa 1946-48.

Great 1930’s movie featuring the launch Waitangi

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Fantastic 1930’s movie footage of the launch Waitangi & another motor boat doing close maneuvers between the rocks east of Hooks Bay. The first 1/4 has some great aerial footage of Waiheke Island back then. The skipper must have known the area like the back of his hand because remember there were no gps or depth sounders in those days. All boats I believe were owned the the Stein family.
Waitangi certainly had a bit of zoom zoom in those days -petrol Kermit engine, replaced c.1955 with a diesel.

The movie is titled ‘Beautiful Waiheke’ & I suspect was a promotional movie for Waiheke Island, Auckland, New Zealand. Filmed c.1930 by Alex Lambourne. Features the classic launch Waitangi. The white dinghy in the rowing sequence is called ‘The Beagle’.
Starring Peter Stein, Dean Ellingham, Alan Lambourne, Joan Woollams, Arthur Nicholson, Cynthia Restall, Shirley Vicary + others

Thanks to Roger Guthrie (brother of CYA member Graham) for forwarding this footage to waitematawoodys.

Atalanta (Rotoiti)

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ROTOITI (Atlanta)

ATALANTA  (Rotoiti)

Unsure of builder, approx. 40 ft . When Ken Ricketts first saw her in 1946-47 she was called Rotoiti & owned by a Larry Johnston owner of Johnston Blue Motors the airport transport bus service providers for Auckland & she was called the ROTOITI. He owned her from at least the mid 40s through to the 50s, he recalls she had a 6 cyl Kermath petrol engine. Kept in quite good condition & used fairly regularly.

Her original, “real” name, was ATLANTA, & it was not until Ken came in contact with her again many years later, in the 1980s, that he was told by the then owner, that they had removed all the old paint from the hull during a refurbishment, & discovered “ATLANTA” carved in to the tuck, in big letters about 1/2 inch deep. Unsure who changed it, or when the name was changed, but he feels by the look of her, she was probably built between 1933 & 1937, & it was probably changed in the later 30s or early 40s. Ken is pleased to say that the last time he saw her she was ATLANTA

Rotui

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Rotui

ROTUI

A Chris Craft, built circa 1938, 32 -33 ft originally had a Ford V8 petrol engine which is sure to have been changed to a diesel by now, & belonged to Alec & Linda Walker who lived in Landscape Rd Mt Eden & owned Regal Fashions in Karangpape Rd. They were a lovely friendly couple & owned her until the mid 50s. After they sold her, she diappeared off the radar. Ken Ricketts would love to know what ‘so happened to her. If anyone can help email kenpat@ihug.co.nz

Reremoana

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Reremoana

REREMOANA

We know very little about her, except that she is another example of the Couldry excellence of design & build, circa 1936-38 lived in Westhaven in the 40s & early 50s right next to Tiromoana,
Ken Ricketts took this pic c.1948

Last saw her a few months ago, entering Gulf Harbour, sadly the lovely varnish has gone — not looking outstanding, but still recognisable.

REREMOANA-2 11-10-13 REREMOANA-1 11-10-13

Update 12/10/2013 – Colour photos ex Ken Ricketts, on-the- hard at Gulf Harbour. It upsets me when I see what ‘enhancements’ can do to a beautiful design……………. 😦  AH.

Update 26/06/2013 Launch Day photo ex Papers Past ex Harold Kidd referral.

A rare photo of Reremoana below as launched in November 1938, as a 28 footer, prior to being lengthened by 6′ & having a wheelhouse & raised top added by Lanes in September 1939.
Read the comments section, lots more info there.

I have to say, these Couldrey launches are starting to grow on me 🙂

Launch day Nov 1938

12-01-2016 Photos below of her at Te Atatu Boating Club yard

07-08-2017 Photos below re-launched at TBC

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Sept 2017 Out again at Te Atatu – photos ex Ken Rickets

Rehia

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REHIA.
A Colin Wild classic, built in 1938, & owned by Bill & Phyl Ryan of owners of H.J. Ryan Ltd ,manufacturing engineers, who lived in Hillsborough, & owned her for many years from about 1945. She was very much a part of Ken Ricketts life in the mid 40s & 50s & he was on her on many acasions — Bill & Phyl had 2 sons, Bob, & Jeff, who were his age & we were great mates.
REHAI had a 6 cyl flat head Buda petrol engine, circa 100 hp for very many years, which had an American, “Bendix,” gearbox & throttle control system, with just 2 tiny levers, — very rare in those days. She was always impecably kept & used regularly. Eventually the Buda was replaced with a 6 cyl Ford Diesel which she still has. She was sold by the Ryan estate on his death in the later 70s earlier 80s.
She is still absolutley original, & has never been “fiddled with,” & when last seen in Whakatakataka Bay a year or 2 go she was still “a picture of health & beauty”.
Story by Ken Ricketts, photo by Ken & Alan Houghton

Royal Falcon

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Royal Falcon 2013
Royal Falcon 2013

ROYAL FALCON

Built in the mid 1930s by Cox & Filmer in 1938. Originally had a converted Studebaker truck engine later replaced with a Kermath & the Studebaker was sold to Bill Waters, who put it in the Gay Dawn when he built her. Owned by the (John?) Wrightson family in the 1940s & 50s.

Updated 20/05/2013 with current photos

Maka Maile

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Maka Maile
Maka Maile 2013 Riverhead Hotel

MAKA MAILE
Not sure of builder, originally had 1 engine of unknown make replaced with 2 x Ford V8 flat head petrol engines in about 1948 at Westhaven & Ken Ricketts remembers viewing the work in progress. Owned c.1947 by a very quiet reserved couple named Lennox-King.

Harold Kidd Update

MAKA MAILE (correct spelling) was built by Sam Ford at Ellerslie in 1937 for R.E. Farrell of Titirangi and named after his father Percy’s one rater centreboarder built by James Clare in 1898 with which Farrell had dominated racing on the Manukau. She originally had a Chrysler Crown plus an Adams but they were replaced by twin Scripps Ford V8s. Later gain she had a BMC Commodore and a Ford. She is now back in the Farrell family.

CHAPTER 2
Update from Ken Ricketts post meeting the current owner on 19/05/13
She is now owned by a Mr & Mrs Nick & Raeleen Prentis, & kept at the moment, at West Harbour Marina. They bought her in April 2004 off Mr Ken Farrell, who had stored her for over 25 years in dry storage, initially in the Glendene area, & then he moved her to McLeod Rd Te Atatu, where she was, when bought by the Prentises. They bought her more or less as an empty shell with no engines or interior, & he believes she may have had two unmatched engines, he thought perhaps a Fordson diesel & maybe a petrol engine.
He has now fitted 2 x 4 cyl Nissan Diesels. & has spent since April 2004 working on her, & making her ready for the water again, having amongst other things recalked the bottom, & resurfaced the topsides, & has been rebuilding in the interior, which is still not quite finished. She has only been back in the water for a month, after all those years, (as at 19.5.2013), & I think it’s really great that she’s back with us again — a lovely boat restored, & saved for posterity, and an important part of the Sam Ford history, & our boating heritage as a whole. Long may she be with us.

Menai

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Menai

Menai
When I was recently out at the NZ Traditional Boat Building School I spied this old (ish) photo on the wall of Menai, the 1936 Sam Ford designed launch, taken prior to the wonderful restoration by the late Peter Smith. While she looks very smart in this photo she was very sick down below. Another one thats on my bucket list.

Matatahi

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Matatahi

Matatahi Waikawa Marina c.1991

Matatahi Waikawa Marina c.1991.

Maristella

Maristella

MATATAHI

A typical example of Sam Fords work built c.1938. In the1940s & 50s she had 2 x 4 cyl Ford diesels with a single side exhaust on the starboard side with both engines going in to a single outlet. Photo taken c.1954 in Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island by Ken Ricketts. Photo quality poor as taken from a 8mm movie but had to include her as she is a lovely looking launch.
Another one that seems to have disappeared off the radar so if anyone can bring us up to date that would be great.